Luke

13:22-30

The teachings of the Messiah, 9:51-19:44

4. Who enters the kingdom? 13:22-16:13

i] The narrow door

Synopsis

Luke reminds his readers that Jesus is continuing on his journey to Jerusalem, a journey that leads to an inevitable destiny. In the following verses, Luke gathers together a series of sayings of Jesus that address the question "Will those who are saved be few?"

 
Teaching

Be warned, many will find themselves outside the kingdom of God, unable to enter.

 
Issues

i] Context: See 9:51-56. The six episodes which make up the teaching unit, Who enters the kingdom?, 13:22-16:13, as with the next six episodes, 16:14-18:14, reveal the bad news and good news of the coming kingdom in Christ - the condemnation of the "righteous" under the law, and the blessing of the humble (repentant) under grace. The six episodes in the section Who enters the kingdom describe both those who enter and those who remain outside. So, who does get into the kingdom? Not those we expect, for the first shall be last and the last first. It is those who humble themselves in repentance who get in. Jesus teaches that between this age and the next, a principle of reversal is operative - many now first will be last. Those now exalting themselves will be abased, but those humbling themselves in repentance will, like the prodigal, be exalted, so Ellis.

What we learn is that there are not many who fail to enter the kingdom, 13:22-30. Religious Judaism will find itself "the last", for Israel is now a forsaken city, 13:31-35. Israel has failed to keep the law, and thus faces eternal loss; someone else will take her place at the heavenly feast, 14:1-24. The same demand for perfection applies also to those who would stand in for Israel; they must be totally dedicated to God, willing to "give up everything." The disciple who under-performs will be dumped like saltless salt, and we do all need to take care, because we all under-perform, 14:25-35. Thankfully, there is a guaranteed way to be right with God, namely repentance, and let it be known, it is a joy to God when a sinner repents. Repentance and faith prompts God's joyous mercy / grace, 15:1-32. Be warned, "disciples who do not show faithfulness in this life cannot expect to enter the life of the age to come", Ellis, 16:1-13.

 

ii] Structure: The narrow door:

Introduction - setting, v23;

Question, 23;

"will those who are saved be few?"

Saying #1, v24;

"strive to enter through the narrow door".

Parable - The Unknown Guests, v25-27.

Saying #2, v28;

"..... the weeping and gnashing of teeth ......"

Saying #3, v29;

"people will come from east and west ....."

Saying #4, v30;

"those who are last will be first ....."

 

iii] Interpretation:

In addressing the question "Will those who are saved by few?", Luke provides us with a careful selection of Jesus' teachings on the great reversal, "the last will be first, the first last." Jesus dispels the expectation of wholesale entry into the kingdom of God with the reality that many "will seek to enter and will not be able."

Jesus draws on the prophetic imagery of the kingdom of God as a city set on a hill, come down from heaven. Its gates are now wide open for the lost and dispersed people of Israel, as well as "people from all languages and nations who will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you'", Zech.8:23. Yet, to this reality Jesus reveals another reality. The gate of the city is actually narrow and many of those seeking to enter and share in the festivities will find the way barred to them. They will knock, claiming a rightful place in the city, but the Lord will say "I do not know you." So, they will remain outside watching the great ones of Israel and "people from all languages and nations" sharing in the festivities while they themselves are cast out. The dawning of the kingdom is a day of judgment, a terrible reversal of great expectations; "the first will be last, the last first" - be warned!

In its context, these sayings of Jesus apply to the people of Israel, particularly to the religious authorities who thought that their righteousness under the law guaranteed their standing in the coming kingdom. Of course, for Luke and his faith community, as for us today, these sayings equally apply. They warn us of complacency, forcing us to look to our faith - to be sure of our salvation.

The gateway may be narrow, suitable only for a righteous Jew, but thankfully we all know one, one who says "Ask and it will be given you." So, we hold the hem of his robe and say "Let us go with you", and when the doorkeeper says "Who are you?", we'll reply, "I'm with him!"

 

iv] Synoptics:

See 3:1-20. The opening verse is unique to Luke. It serves a structural purpose in the gospel, indicating a major step, while at the same time restating the journey theme evident in the latter part of the gospel. Jesus is on the move again toward Jerusalem for his exodus-destiny. The next verse, v23, is also unique to Luke and presents as a topic heading, probably provided by Luke himself, so Fitzmyer, although Manson suggests that Luke may well have found it in Q.

Saying #1 - the narrow door, v24. This saying has a parallel in the sermon on the mount, although in Matthew's version there are two gates (pulhV), one narrow and one wide "and the road easy that leads to destruction", Matt.7:13-14.

The parable - the unknown guest, v25-27, is similar, in parts, to Matthew's parable of the ten virgins, particularly the reply of the kurie, "Lord", from within the house, v12. Matt.25:10-12. Matthew specifically notes that the parable of the ten virgins is a climactic / kingdom parable, v1, whereas in Luke it is implied.

Saying #2 - the weeping and gnashing of teeth, v28, is similar to a saying in Matthew 8:12. Saying #3 - people coming from east and west to feast in the kingdom, v29, is similar to a saying in Matthew 8:11. Luke has reversed these paired sayings, treating each individually, whereas Matthew treats them as a single two-part saying.

Saying #4 - the last will be first, v30. This independent saying of Jesus is parallel to Matthew 19:30, 20:16, and Mark 10:31.

Q is often identified as the source for the sayings paralleled in Matthew, but given the substantial differences between the two accounts, it seems more likely that both Matthew and Luke sourced the material from the extant oral tradition preserved in the early church at this time. To argue that they were working off a written document (Q) implies that either Matthew, or Luke, was less that scrupulous when it came to the record of the Master's words. This seems unlikely.

 
Text - 13:22

The Narrow Door, v22-30. i] The setting, v23. Luke takes up Jesus' journey toward Jerusalem again, where he will be "taken up to heaven." Jesus again sets his face resolutely toward his exodus-destiny, 9:51.

dieporeueto (diaporeuomai) imperf. "went" - [and] he was going on, travelling. The imperfect is used here, along with kai, to indicate transition in the narrative, a transition which takes a further step by the use of de in v23.

kata + acc. "through" - according to [cities and villages]. Distributive use of the preposition, so "through".

didaskwn (didaskw) pres. part. "teaching" - teaching. The participle is adverbial, best treated as modal, expressing the manner of his "going on."

poioumenoV (poiew) pres. mid. part. "as he made his way" - [and] doing, making [a journey into jerusalem]. The participle is adverbial, possibly temporal as NIV, or modal, expressing the manner of his "going on." The participle, "doing" with the noun poreian, "a journey", is a periphrastic construction with the sense "journeying"; "teaching and journeying." The preposition eiV expresses the direction of the action, so "toward Jerusalem."

 
v23

ii] Question - "Will those who are saved be few?" The question serves as a subject heading for the saying material brought together in this episode. The question is unanswered, but the implication is "Yes". The saying material in this episode warns us that many will find themselves outside the kingdom, and as such, "it addresses the personal dimension of this issue, ie., the individual's responsibility", Stein. The children of Israel, particularly the religious, those committed to the Law of Moses, expected entry into the kingdom of God; "all Israelites have a share in the world to come", Sanhedrin 10:1. Yet, the entry criteria is not based on birth-rites or a person's law-obedience.

autw/ dat. pro. "him" - [but/and, a certain = someone said] to him. Dative of indirect object.

ei "-" - [lord, sir] if = whether [few will be the ones being saved]? It is usually understood that the particle here serves to introduce a direct question, so Marshall, Thompson, Fitzmyer, ....; see Turner Gk. Culy disputes this classification, suggesting that it stands in for the confirmatory adverb h\, so offering the translation, "Lord, will those who are saved truly be only few?"

 
v24

iii] Saying #1 - "Strive to enter the narrow door", v24. As revealed in Matthew's version of this saying, the gate opens wide to a broad road that leads to destruction, whereas the gate to the narrow road that leads to life is a tight fit, and many will try to get through and not be able. When it comes to entering the gate, the way through is agwrizesqe, "to strive, fight, struggle" (the durative present may intend continued struggle). Of course, Luke has already explained in detail the necessary elements of this "struggle" and it has nothing to do with being in the right club (a Jew or a Christian), or being a good Sam. It involves repentance, a turning to Christ, 13:3-5, and faith, a resting on Christ / persevering in faith, 12:35-40. In the end, the only person worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven is Jesus, and it is faith in his faithfulness that secures entry.

eiVelqein (eisercomai) aor. inf. "to enter" - [strive] to enter. The infinitive is usually classified as complementary, completing the sense of the verb "to strive."

dia + gen. "through" - through [the narrow door]. Spatial, "through" in spatial terms.

oJti "because" - because. Introducing a cause clause explaining why we should strive to enter the narrow door, because many attempt to enter, but don't get in.

eiselqein (eisercomai) aor. inf. "[will try] to enter" - [many, i say to you, will seek] to enter [and they will not be able]. Usually classified as a complementary infinitive, but it may also be viewed as introducing an object clause / dependent statement of cause, expressing what they seek, namely to enter through the narrow door.

 
v25

iv] Parable - The Unknown Guests, v25-27. Furthering the image of many finding out that they are unable to enter through the narrow door to salvation, Luke records a climactic / crisis parable, a kingdom parable encapsulating the abstraction that the kingdom of God is at hand / upon us. This fact is described in the terms of acquaintances being denied entry to their friend's home - it's bad news, the door is closed; the day of judgment is upon us. Luke is recording what is a remnant of Matthew's kingdom parable of the Ten Virgins, where "the bridegroom" denies entry "into the wedding" to late-comers (the ten virgins). As a crisis parable, it reinforces the need "to strive to enter through the narrow door", and this because the opportunity for us to enter is coming to an end - the door is closing, the friends permanently excluded, despite their pleading. "The period of grace will irrevocably end, and the time of judgment will begin", Stein. For the classification of Jesus' parables, see 8:1-18.

af ou| a]n + subj. "once" - whenever [the master of the house has arisen]. This temporal construction, the preposition apo + the genitive relative pronoun ou|, here made indefinite by the addition of a]n + subj., introduces a subordinate temporal clause which most likely consists of the whole verse. The main verb "you will begin [to say]" introduces v26, also as a temporal clause, tote, "then". "Once the householder has got up and locked the door, you will be left standing outside, knocking at the door", Barclay

eJstanai (iJsthmi) perf. inf. "you will stand" - [and he closes the door and you begin] to stand [outside and to knock on the door]. The infinitive, as with "to knock", is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "to begin."

legonteV (legw) pres. part. "pleading" - saying. Attendant circumstance participle introducing direct speech.

hJmin dat. pro. "for us" - [lord, sir, open the door] to us. Dative of interest, advantage.

apokriqeiV (apokrinomai) aor. pas. part. "he will answer" - [and] having answered [he will say to you]. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "to say"; semi-redundant.

poqen adv. "where [you come] from" - [i do not know you are] from where. The interrogative adverb expresses the sense of the original question, here serving as the predicate of the verb to-be; "I do not know where you come from", ie., "I do not know of any relationship with you", TH. "Sorry, you're not on my guest list", Peterson.

 
v26

tote "then" - then. The temporal adverb serves to introduce a temporal clause.

legein (legw) pres. inf. "you will say" - [you will begin] to say [we ate before you and we drank, and in the streets of us you taught]. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "to begin."

 
v27

Marshall suggests that Luke's point in this verse is that a "lack of righteousness excludes men from the heavenly banquet." This is true, but it is the actions of those who seek entry that has resulted in their being excluded. As Bock puts it, they are those "who never responded to his message with repentance, never entered into a relationship of faith." None-the-less, a crisis / kingdom parable (gospel riddle) doesn't really lend itself to allegorical interpretations. The abstraction announces the realisation of the kingdom of God and thus, the mandatory response of repentance and faith. Yet, in Luke's context, guided by the question in v23, the point seems to be that the gate into the kingdom is about to close, and once closed, many will find themselves outside and unable to gain entry.

legwn (legw) pres. part. "he will reply" - [and he will say to you] saying. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "to say", redundant, but at the same time, introducing direct speech. For the classification adverbial, manner, see legwn, 4:35. Variants exist at this point. Culy suggests that the Gk. reflects the Hebrew infinitive absolute, "saying, he will say", a construction which intensifies, cf., Metzger, 163.

uJmaV acc. pro. "you" - [i do not know] you [you are from where]. Variant. As read, the pronoun "you" stands as the accusative object of the verb "to know", with the interrogative clause "you are from where (where are you from?)" standing in apposition. If the pronoun is not read, then "you are from where" stands as the direct object of the verb, serving as a dependent statement of perception expressing what the householder does not know.

ap (apo) + gen. "from [me]" - [go away] from [me]. Expressing separation. These final words, "out of my sight you perpetrators of evil deeds", Cassirer, reflects Psalm 6:9.

adikiaV (a) gen. "you evildoers" - [all you workers] of unrighteousness, injustice, wickedness, iniquity. The genitive is adjectival, probably attributive, limiting "all workers", "all unrighteous workers", but possibly verbal, subjective, "all you who do evil", so reflecting the LXX version of the Psalm "working (participle) lawlessness (accusative object)"

 
v28

v] Saying #2 - "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth", v28. Luke uses this saying of Jesus to illustrate what it is like for those who thought they were able to enter through the gate, but now find themselves locked out of the kingdom - outside where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (the horror of eternal judgment). It is bad news from God; a judgment writ large. The original context of this saying obviously concerned faithless Israel, not only in what they witness ("Abraham ...... in the kingdom"), but their rightful place as inheritors of the kingdom rescinded, and they now ekballomenouV exw, "cast out outside."

twn odontwn (ouV ontoV) gen. "of teeth" - [there will be the weeping and gnashing, grinding] of teeth. The genitive is adjectival, usually treated as verbal, objective. The "gnashing" of the teeth is probably "chattering" out of fear.

oJtan + subj. "when" - whenever [you will see abraham and isaac and jacob and all the prophets]. Introducing an indefinite temporal clause, although translates with a definite "when".

tou qeou (oV) gen. "[kingdom] of god" - [in the kingdom] of god. When the kingdom is viewed as the rule of God the genitive is taken as adjectival, verbal, subjective. For "kingdom of God" see tou qeou, 4:43.

ekballomenouV (ekballw) pres. mid. part. "thrown out" - [but/and you] thrown out [outside]. The participle serves as the accusative complement of the direct object "you", standing in a double accusative construction and asserting a fact about the object. Note the typical repetition of the prepositional prefix, here the preposition ek, "from, out of", with the adverb exw, "outside". "And all the time you'll by outside looking in - and wondering what happened", Peterson.

 
v29

vi] Saying #3 - "People will come from east and west", v29. Furthering the image of the many who find themselves excluded from salvation, Luke records a saying of Jesus which illustrates what it is like for those who thought they were in, but now find themselves out. Not only do they sit outside watching the great-ones of Israel's history feasting in the kingdom, they also watch Gentiles taking their place in the festivities. Note how Luke has reversed Matthew's order of this two-part saying to provide a logical sequence of events. Note also that the original context of this saying obviously relates to Jesus' conflict with Israel's religious authorities.

apo + gen. "[people will come] from" - [and they will come] from [east and west, and] from [north and south and they will recline at table in the kingdom of god]. Expressing source / origin. "You'll watch outsiders stream in from ......", Peterson.

 
v30

vii] Saying # 4 - the first will be last, and the last first. This independent saying of Jesus heralds the great-reversal caused by the coming of the kingdom of God. It is used on a number of occasions throughout the synoptic gospels. For Luke, it serves here to reinforce his point that many will be excluded from the coming kingdom ("Will those who are saved be few?"). This fact prompts a personal re-evaluation of one's standing before God - have we responded to Jesus in repentance and faith? Of course, some commentators attempt to identify the "first" and the "last", eg., the Jews who were first to hear the gospel, and the Gentiles who were last to hear, or "some Gentiles who are distant will end up near, while many Jews will miss the promised kingdom", Bock, so Creed, ... Such goes beyond the intention of a saying which simply illustrates reversal.

prwtoi nom. adj. "[who will be] first" - [and behold, there are last ones who will be] first [and there are first ones who will be last]. Predicate adjective.

 

Luke Introduction

Exegetical Commentaries

 

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